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Merlin was sick of getting kidnapped by different bandits and sorcerers every other week. This time was different though. This time, despite Merlin’s best efforts, they had also succeeded in capturing the king as well. Merlin had no clue who had kidnapped them, but they clearly knew about who Merlin was or they most likely wouldn’t have kidnapped him alongside Arthur and put him in the engraved iron shackles that he woke up to find himself in.
Arthur had decided to go out on a hunt to get away from all the stresses of being king. Being Arthur, he decided against bringing any of the knights with him and Merlin. They had been fine before, and they weren’t going far from the walls of Camelot.
They had made camp for the night and Merlin had taken first watch.
Merlin didn’t remember falling asleep well on watch.
Merlin just woke up flinging himself forward ready to attack. He didn’t get far before his shackles yanked his arms back. The pain forcing Merlin wide awake now. Merlin took in the rune covered shackles and the empty feeling in his chest where he felt his magic should be. Panic was starting to set in for Merlin as he realized that he would be powerless for whatever his kidnappers were about to do to him.
As he took in the room around him in an attempt to control his rising panic, he found that he seemed to be in a dungeon. It looked similar to the one in Camelot, but the walls were crumbling and there were vines and plants taking over everything he could see. Merlin assumed he must be in an old abandoned castle, then.
When Merlin’s eyes finally landed on the body clad in bright red and chainmail, his heart hitched in his chest. Merlin had hoped that maybe they had just wanted him—considering how they were clearly prepared for him—but across from him on the opposite wall was Arthur. He sat unconscious wrists shackled the same as Merlin’s.
Arthur woke up a few minutes after Merlin. He didn’t startle awake the same way Merlin had. He was much slower to fully realize the true nature of their situation.
Not long after Arthur had gotten his bearings and reprimanded Merlin for falling asleep, they heard footsteps getting louder as they approached the pair. When the owner of the footsteps appeared before the pair, they found the owner seemed to be some sort of magic user.
“My name is Altoro. It is nice to finally meet the both of you, though I do wish it was under better circumstances.” The man, the captor, told them.
“Why have you taken us prisoner, Altoro?” Arthur asked.
“My people and I have captured you in order to show Emrys that you are not the king that the prophesy foretold.” Was Altoro’s response.
“Then where is this mysterious ‘Emrys’?” Arthur asked.
Merlin wanted to be sick. It hadn’t taken him long to realize that this was the moment where he would be revealed to Arthur. He would never get the chance to tell Arthur on his own terms, it would be forced out into the open by some druidic stranger that had no right to reveal his secrets.
“What do you plan to do?” Merlin cut off Altoro before he could respond to Arthur’s question, knowing that he would just say that it was Merlin.
“In order for us to show that King Arthur is not the true Once and Future King, the truth must be put into the open. If the King here cannot accept one truth, he will never be able to fulfil the prophesy. I am truly sorry, but you must speak the truth for your king to judge.” Altoro told Merlin.
Merlin’s fear was getting the better of him. All he could get out was a weak, “No…” before he saw an apologetic look on Altoro’s face as he started his incantation. Merlin could hear Arthur shouting objections at their captor, but they went ignored.
Merlin had no doubt that he was about to be hit with some form of truth spell, and he wanted to scream at how unfair this was, but he knew he couldn’t do anything to change what was about to happen.
When the spell hit Merlin, it landed right over his heart. And it burned. It felt like a fire in his chest as it settled there. When Merlin could finally open his eyes after the pain had passed, the first thing he said was, “I’m so sorry,” as he briefly looked at Arthur.
Merlin quickly turned his attention back to Altoro. He didn’t want to look at Arthur when he was forced to spill every secret he had ever kept for his King’s safety.
“My first question for you is, what is your name?” Altoro began.
“Merlin.”
“Let me phrase that differently. What names do you go by?” Altoro asked, gently.
“Merlin…” As Merlin resisted saying the rest of his answer, the fire in his chest grew painfully. With tears stinging his eyes, form the pain, Merlin added, “And the…the druid’s…call me Emrys…” Merlin heard Arthur’s gasp at his answer.
“Okay, Emrys, how long have you had and been using magic?” Altoro asked calmly. Not giving away anything as he asked his questions.
Merlin didn’t want to answer Altoro, but the fire in his chest had grown even more painful as he tried to not answer him. It didn’t take long before the pain was to great and he gasped out, “I was born with magic, and could use it before I could talk.”
Arthur sat on the floor stunned. He couldn’t understand. Merlin, his Merlin, had magic. And he was said to be one of the most powerful sorcerers ever. Arthur didn’t know how to react, he was shocked, sure, but he was also angry with Merlin for lying to him. The thing that hurt the most though, was the feelings of hurt at the fact that Merlin didn’t trust him enough to tell him. Unsure how to react to the current situation, and his jumbled emotions, Arthur stayed quiet and let the questioning continue.
“My next question for you, Emrys, is, why have you chosen King Arthur Pendragon as the Once and Future King?” Altoro prompted.
The pain at that point was too much for Merlin. With tears falling from his eyes, Merlin gave in to the spell saying, “I didn’t choose him. Kilgharrah told me that it was my destiny to protect him until he became the Once and Future king that would unite the land of Albion.”
“Have you formed your own opinion of King Arthur now, and what is it?”
“At first, I thought that Arthur was an outright, arrogant, prat. I told Kilgharrah that he must mean a different Arthur. It wasn’t until after I had really become close with Arthur that I began to believe in the prophecy myself. I truly believe that Arthur is a good and just king who will not only unite Albion, but bring magic back to Camelot. Even if he can still be a right prat sometimes.” Merlin said earnestly.
Arthur was stunned by Merlin’s answer. The sheer amount of faith that Merlin, a magic user, had in Arthur was overwhelming and surprising to say the least. Arthur wasn’t sure how to take in the fact that Merlin thought so highly of him. He was starting to regret all the times that Arthur had called Merlin an idiot or a coward, now, though.
“How many times have you saved King Arthur?” Altoro asked.
At that question, Merlin nearly threw up from the pain in his chest as he held out from answering. Arthur could clearly see the pain written across Merlin’s face as he resisted, and he couldn’t imagine why.
“I’ve lost count.” Merlin barely whispered. His words coming out on a rush of air.
Without thinking, Arthur blurted out, “When was the first time you saved me using magic?”
Merlin’s eyes shot to Arthur in surprise at his question, “The night I became your manservant. I wasn’t even trying, but my magic kept me awake as her magic put everyone else at the banquet to sleep. I dropped the chandelier on her to get her to stop singing. And when I stopped you from getting hit with the knife.”
Arthur thought back for a moment. That hadn’t been how they first met, though. As soon as he had the thought, Arthur’s face turned almost indignant as he asked, “Wait, did you use magic that second time we met? When we fought in the square?
“Yes,” Merlin said.
“So that’s that something that I couldn’t figure out!” Arthur said, “You were using magic!” After a moment Arthur spoke again, “That’s not fair! You cheated!”
“I still don’t know how to use a mace. Why would I not use magic? That’s like you going into a fight without a sword or a weapon.” Merlin rolled his eyes at the ridiculousness of such a thing. “That’s not cheating.”
Altoro looked on at the two of them in confusion. Not expecting the turn of events.
“It absolutely is cheating!” Arthur’s voice was a mile past indignant at this point.
“I’m the one under a truth spell right now, and I said that it’s not cheating.” Merlin threw back.
“That’s just uncalled for. Can you not get out of the chains?” Arthur asked.
“These ones bind my magic. Normally I could magic them off by now. Do you really think I would’ve let him cast a spell on me if I could use my magic?” Merlin responded.
“So, do you have a plan or something, or are you waiting for me to come up with something?” Arthur asked as he started to test the chains, formulating a plan in his head.
“Yes, unfortunately, I’m waiting on you for this one.” Merlin’s voice was filled with sarcasm.
Arthur replied in kind, “Well, you could’ve said something. I would’ve figured something out sooner.”
“Arthur, I’m getting tired from the spell and the lack of my own magic, would it kill you to speed things along?”
“I’m almost done. Give me a moment.” Not a moment later, Arthur’s shackles fell away from his wrists.
Rubbing his wrists, Arthur asked Altoro, “Would you kindly remove the spell and the chains? I believe we are done here.”
Altoro, stunned, complied with the request.
As soon as Merlin was released from the spell he nearly collapsed with relief. Arthur stepped in just in time to catch him, while Altoro undid the shackles around Merlin’s wrists.
It was only once the shackles were off that Merlin began to feel like himself again. That didn’t mean the rushing return of Merlin’s magic didn’t make him want to promptly pass out.
“I think I might pass out, now.” Was what Merlin got out before doing just that, falling limp against Arthur.
Arthur maneuvered Merlin’s arm around his shoulders, before picking him up in a bridal carry. “Just because you pass out doesn’t mean you are getting out of talking about your magic, Merlin.”
Under Arthur’s deadly glare, Altoro helped Arthur retrieve the horses, and situate Merlin, for a semi-smooth return trip to the kingdom.
Arthur could wait until Merlin was feeling better, but he did want to know about Merlin’s magic, why Merlin had hidden it even after Arthur had become king. That was a conversation for another time, though.